Sketcli of Vha Life of Qei\. 
^I'llU-m Henry Harrison, 

1840. 




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"V' RALi WIL,IiIAM IlEj\KY IIAMKISOi^, 

CA1TDIDAT3 or TUS PS0PL3 

For I^resltlent or tUe U'itlled Slates. 




PtfBLlSUED AT THE OFITCK OF TIIR "BAI/n»l0IlG rATUlOT.*' 

Printed by Savtuel Sands, 



IKIO. 




A SKETCH 



07 TUB 



LIFE AND PUBLIC SKRVICES 



OF 



l^cii. WILI.IAM flEI^ilY HAKtll^Oi^ 



The prominent position now occupied by I 
General Harrison before the American peoplPv 
renders it peculiarly proper that a brief sketch 
of his life and public services should be laid 
before his fellovv-cilizens; for although his 
public act3, both in a civil and military capaci- 
ty, have been for the lasting glory and honour 
of our whole country, yet in consequence of 
his having resided for the greater part of his 
lile among the patriotic and chivalric inhabi- 
tants of the western states, they are more fa- 
miliar with his history than those who reside 
in the east and north. It was this acquain- 
tance with the man, or rather — to make use of 
the endearing appellation by wliich he has been 
wniversally known — it was this acquaintance 
with the VVashington of the West, thai has there 
produced such a general and ardent feeling in 
his favour; that the people havo, in <!cspitc of 
party dictation, borne him triumphantly along, 
for the highest office in iheir gift, until there 
is now no doubt but he will be elected by a 
most decisive majority. 

It will be apparent that our efPirts to com- 
press the materials of his eventful life, in the 
compass of a few pages, has compelled us to 
omit all those minute illustrations of particular 
facts, which have in reality given to his life all 
the beauty of romance. To see a youth of 
eighteen years of age, leaving his kindred, and 
friends,and paternal roof, and inspired by a lolly 
patriotism, marching into the savatje wilder- 
ness, and battling with the enemies of his coun- 
try ; and then in a few \ears to find him in the 
councils of tiie nation, exerting himself to 
promote the civil institutions he had sogallant- 
iy defended in the field; and then again leading 
the armies of ourcounlry to victory at the dread- 
ful midnight conllict of Tippecanoe, and at 
the hard-fought siege of ForL Mtiga, and the 
still more brilliant victory of the lliames, — 
together opens a field for meditation, which it 
is impossible to express in the few pages we 
have devoted to the history ofhis life. To 



have pursued a subject of this kind in all its 
details, would have been grateful to our feel- 
ings, but the brevity of our plan will (orbid it. 
We must leave the reader to fill up for him- 
self the many omissions we are compelled to 
make. 

We ought to state that this compdalion is 
principally taken from the valuable and authen- 
tic history of McAfl^ee on ihe late war, and 
from the excellent biographical works of Davv- 
son and Judge Hall. 

William Henry Harrison was born in Vir- 
ginia on the 9ih of February, 1773. His fa- 
ther, Benjanii'.i Harrison, was one of the patri- 
ots of the Revolution. He was a very distin- 
guished member of the first congress of ll»e U- 
nited States, which met at Philadelphia in 1774, 
and was one of the most conspicuous of the 
diallers of ilio Doolamiion of Independence, 
He afterwards rendered important services to 
his country by his energetic and patriotic 
measures as governor ofhis native slate, Vir- 
ginia. This eminent patriot died in 1791 j 
leaving his son, William, under the guardian- 
ship ofhis friend, the celebrated Robert Mor- 
ris. 

Young Harrison was educated at Hampden 
Sydney College; and, by the advice of his 
friends, turned his attention to the study of me-j 
dicine. But about the period when he had 
compleled his education, soon after the death 
ofhis father, the increased and barbarous hos- 
tilities of the Indians on our northwestern bor- 
ders, beiian to excite a feeling of indignation 
through the whole country. Jn this general 
excitement our young student participated so 
warmly, that he resolved to relinquish his pro- 
fessional |nn>uiis, and join the army destined 
to the defence of the Ohio frontier. 

The war in this part of our country was then 
assuming a very alarming aspect. The Indian 
tribes, who had been in the service of Great 
Britain, during our revolutionary struggle, had 
not yet laid down the tomahawk ; but sliU per- 



listed Jh thcti- ruthless hostilirtee, aud in ihe 
almost daily commissioH of their savage atro- 
cities. From tlie year 178S, when Great Bri- 
tain acknowledged our independence, and war 
witli the mother country ceased, up to the year 
1791, it was estimated that more than fifteen 
hundred oi our hardy borderers had fallen vic- 
tims to the rifle and sralping knife of their 
savage foes. Our northwestern frontier pre- 
sented an appalling scene of rapine, conflagra- 
gration, and wanton destruction of life and 
property. Many of our border settlements 
had been crushed in their infancy, and all had 
been retarded in their growth. Expedition 
after expedition, fitted out to oppose them, 
had met with the most disheartening losses ; 
and finally a gallant army under Brigadier Gen- 
eral Harmer, whicli had been sent expressly 
to chastise these savages, had been signally de- 
feated by them, and almost annihilated. Of 
the few experienced officers, who escaped from 
Harmer's defeat, nearly all, worn out with the 
fatigues of a seivice so harrassing, and shrink- 
ing from a warfare of so dangerous and bar- 
barous a nature, had resigned their commis- 
sion ; and a feeling of dismay began to pervade 
the whole community. 

Such was the gloomy aspect of affairs, when 
(lie ardent and generous patriotism of young 
Harrison prompted him to give up the com- 
forts and luxuries that surrounded him at home, 
and peri^ his life ill defence of his fellow-coun- 
trymen. 

lie received the commission of an ensign in 
the United States artillery, in the autumn of 
the year 1791, when only eighieen } ears of 
age ; and hastened immediately to join his re- 
giment, which was then stationed at Fort Wash- 
ington, lie arrived at thai post a few days af- 
ter the unfortunate defeat ot General St. Clair, 
near th« ftliami villages, by the confederate 
Indians under the command of the celebrated 
chief, Little Turtle. This disastrous defeat, 
in which St. Claires army was destroyed, with 
the loss of nearly a thousand men, killed or 
taken prisoners, left the whole of our north- 
'western frontier exposed to the ravages ol a 
i«erciless enemy, and added greatly to the gen- 
eral consternation before exi-itinji. 

In this stale of things, our goverrmient faw 
the necessity of adopting immediate and fffi- 
cient means to put an end to this savage con- 
flict. Another army was promptly rai-sed, and 
the command given toGeneral Antlior)v Wavne 
— a gallant and skilful oillcer, who had earned 
a brilliant reputation in Ifie Kevotutionary 
War. Wayne's Legion, as his army was called 
in the new organization, asBembled at Pitts- 
burg, in the sunimer of ]19^ \ and in the en- 
suing month of November, they left that place, 
and went into winter quarter^, at Legjunville, 
on the Ohio, 22 miles below Pitttbur|f. 



About this time Harrison was promoted to 
lieutenant; and shortly after, he joined Wayne'a 
Legion. His fearlessness and energy, with 
his strict attention to discipline, soon attracted 
the notice of his commander-in-chief, himself 
a bold and daring soldier and a rigid disciplin- 
arian ; and General Wayne, not long after his 
arrival, selected him as one of his aids-de-camp, 
at the age of nineteen. 

We iia^e entered thus minutely into this 
detail, because we tvish to point it out at how 
early an age, and in what trying times, young 
Harrison was thought worthy of honourable 
distinction. 

Lieutenant III»rison acted as aid to General 
Wayne during the whole of the ensuing cam- 
paigns J and his bravery and gallant conduct 
throughout were such, that he was repeatedly 
oflicially noticed in terms of the highest enco- 
mium. The war was conducted by General 
Wayne with all the cool daring of a veteran 
soldier, and the sagacitj of a prudent general 
— until finally, on the 20ih of August, 1794, 
he fought the bloody and desperate batde of 
the Miami, in vvliich the confederated Indians, 
with their allies, were totally defeated. Their 
heavy losses in this battle so disheartened the 
Indians, th.at, a few months after, they entered 
into negotiations for a treaty of peace, giving 
hostages for their good faidi — and thus, with 
the close of this war, were extinguished what 
may be considered the last embers of our rev- 
olutionary struggle. In his despatch to tha 
Secretary of War, after this decisive victorjv 
General AVayne, in mentioning those whose 
good conduct made them conspicuous on this 
occasion, says — ''My faithful and gallant aids- 
de-camp, Captains De Butts and T. Lewis, 
and LiEUTE.N'ANT H.\URiso.v, with the Adju- 
tant-g^d-.-ieral. Major Mills, rendered die most 
essential service, by ccmmunicaiing my orders 
in every direction, and by their conduct and 
bravery exciting the troops to press for vic- 
tory." 

Soon after this battle, Lieutenant Harrison 
received the commission of a captain, and was 
placed in command of Fort Washington — the 
most important station on the western frontier. 
He remained in the army tdl the close of the 
year 1797, when, as there was no longer an 
opportunity to serve his country in the field, 
he rcsigneil his commission, to commence 
[lis career of civil services. He was almost 
immediately appointed secretary, and ex-pjficxoy 
lieutcnant-goTernor ol the Northwestern terri- 
tory ; wiiich then embraced the whole extent 
of our country lying northwest «f the Ohio 
river — thus receiving his first civil appoint- 
ment in that part of our country which he had 
perilled his life to defend. 

While in this station, he entered so warm- 
ly into the interests of the people, and his in- 



diligence aixl Hie kindiiess aiwl urbanky of 
his manners rendered him so popular, that 
when, in the following year, they became en- 
titled to representation in the councils of the 
nation, they almost unanimously elected him 
their first delegate to Congress. Mr. Harrison 
was, at this time, about 26 years of age. 

He look his seat in the House of Represen- 
tatives, at llie first session of the sixth Con- 
gress, in December, 1799. There weie then 
in Congress some of the ablest and most en- 
lightened statesmen, and some of the most 
eloquent men, our country has ever produced. 
Yet in this severe ordeal, the abilities and man- 
ly energies of Mr. Harrison soon commanded 
universal respect. At this period, the all-en- 
grossing subject in the West, and one in which 
our whole country had a deep interest, was 
the sale of our public lands. The manner in 
which these lands had been hitherto disposed 
of, had created great dissatisfaction among the 
people. They had been sold only in large 
tracts ; the smallest of which included, at least, 
four thousand acres. Our hardy yeomanry, 
with limited pecuniary means, were thus shut 
out from all chance of competition with weal- 
thy speculators and grasping monopolists, in 
the purchase of these lands — the poorer emi- 
grants were becoming disheartened at the chill- 
ing prsspects before them, and the settlement 
of Uie new country was greatly retarded. Fully 
aware of the impolicy and injustice of this 
state of things, and true to the trust confided 
in him, Mr. Harrison's earliest legislative ef- 
forts were made to overthrow this pernicious 
system. He aroused the attention of Con- 
gress to the consideration of this important 
subject, and evinced so intimate an acquain- 
tance with the facts and business details con- 
nected with it, that he was appointed chairman 
ot a committee raised to examine into and re- 
port on die existing mode of disposing of the 
public lands. After a proper investigation, he 
presented a report, accompanied by a bill, the 
principal object of which was to reduce the 
size ol the tracts of public land offered for sale, 
to such a smaller number of acres as would 
place them within the reach of actual settlers. 
This masterly report, which was the joint pro- 
duction of himself and Mr. Gallatin, together 
with the great ability and eloquence with 
which he defended his bill from the powerful 
opposition it encountered in the House, gained 
Mr. Harrison a reputation rarely attained by so 
young a statesman. The bill was carried tri- 
umphantly in the House, and finally, after some 
amendments, passed the Senate. The result 
was, that the public lands, instead of being of- 
fered only in large tracts, of which four thou- 
sand acres was the smallest size, were now to 
be sold in alternate sections and half sections — 
the former containing 640, and the latter 320 



acres each. The point gahied waa of imm^i«e 
importance, since, from the low price of thesa 
lands, and the small amoimt of purchase mo- 
ney required to be paiil, they were now wiih- 
iii the reach of nearly all the poorer emigrants 
and actual settlers, who felt a natural desire to 
own the fee simple of their homes, and of the 
lands they subdued from the wilderness. Thou- 
sands of the hardy and industrious farmers of 
our Northern and Widdle Slates, and many of 
the poorer planters of llie South, availed them- 
selves of the fair field wlrich was now opened 
for emigration and enterprise ', and we may 
justly consider this happy result, which Mr. 
Harrison was so instrumental in producing, as 
one of the leading causes of the rapid settle- 
ment and prosperity of our Western country- 
In the year 1800, the Northwestern territo- 
ry was divided. That part of the old territo- 
ry, included within the present boundaries of 
Ohio and Michigan, retained its former name; 
and the immense extent of country northwest 
of this, was made a separate territory, and re- 
ceived the name of Indiana. Soon after this 
division had taken place, Mr. Harrison resign- 
ed his seat in Congress, and was appointed 
governor of the new territory. This appoint- 
ment gave ofreat satisfaction to the people of 
Indiana, with whom the patriotic exertions of 
Mr. Harrison had rendered him deservedly 
popular ; and it was, at the same time, the 
strongest evidenceof the confidence wilh which 
the General Government relied upon his integ- 
rity, prudence, and capacity for civil govern- 
ment. 

The extent of Indiana was almost bound- 
less. The small population it then contained 
was thinly scattered through a vast wilderness, 
and only three settlements of any note existed 
within its territory. One of these was at Vin- 
cenues, the capital ; another at the Falls of the 
Ohio, one hundred miles distant from Vircen- 
nes •, and the third was on the Misslosippi, at 
a distance of more than two hundred miles 
from the capital. The communication between 
these remote points was, at all times, dilhcuU 
and toilsome, and often attended wilh great 
danger. There existed no practicable roads, 
and nearly all the intermediate country was 
occupied 'by the Indians, or overrun by their 
hunting-parties. Most of those savage tribes, 
though professing to be friendlv, were resdess 
and dissatisfied ; and their leading chiefs still 
nursed a moody hope of revenge for the mor- 
tifying defeat they had sustained, six years be- 
fore, at the battle of the Miami. Artful and 
treacherous, numerous, warlike, and thirstingr 
for plunder, they kept this remote frontier in 
continual excitement and alarm. The angry 
feelings of our hardy borderers were frequent- 
ly roused by some robbery or atrocious vio- 
lence committed by the more evil-disposed a- 



6 



mong their sarage neiglibors, and quarrels oft- 
en ensued, wliicli threatened the peace of the 
'niiole coniniiinity. 

Such was the existing state of things in In- 
diana Territory, when filr. Harrison was ap- 
pointed to llie administration of its govern- 
ment. As governor of a frontier territory so 
peculiarly situated, IMr. Harrison was invested 
with civil powers o( the most important nature, 
as well as with miliiary authority. Besides 
the or(lin.ury power which he held, ex oj/icio, 
as governor, he had the sole power of divid- 
ing the district into counties and townshipH, 
and was appointed the general superintendent 
of Indian afliiirs. He had likewise the unusu- 
al power of conferring on a numerous class of 
individuals a legal title to large grants of land, 
on whicli they before held merely an equita- 
ble claim. IJis sole signature was suflicient, 
without any o.hcr formality, to give a valid ti- 
tle to these extensive and vulua!)le tracts of 
land. Possessed of this immense power, op- 
portunities were continually before him of 
accumulating a princely fortune; but the .-cm 
pulous sense of honour, which has always 
characterized Mr. Harrison, would never per- 
mit hitu to speculate in lands over which he 
had any control. And it is a fact worthy of 
note, that during the whole time thai he held 
this important trust, he never availed himself 
of his peculiar adr ntages to acquire a single 
acj '^f land ; — no shadow of uspicion ever 
doub 1 his disinterestedness, and not a mur- 
mur ever accused him of partiality, or even of 
unnecessary delay, in the perfoimance of this 
delicate duty. We mention this only to show, 
that the integrity of Mr. Harri.MJii is nut merely 
theoretical but practical ; aud^rhal it has always 
shone with the purest lustre when assailed by 
the strongest tempialions. 

.In 1803, iMr. Jederson appointed Governor 
Harrison sole "commissioner to enter into any 
treaties which may lie necessary with any In- 
dian tribes, northwest «>f die Ohio, and within 
the territory f.f the United Slates, on the suli- 
ject ollheir boundaries or lands." By viriiie 
ol this, or a similar auihorilv, diiiini: 'lie sul)- 
se(pienl cour.-e of his ai!niinisiiaii.)n, Hairi.-'on 
efli cird thirteen impor'anl treaties wiili the 
dincreiii tribes, on ihe mostadvaniaijcoiis leriiis- 
and obiaiiied fioin ihein, at various times, the 
cession o( larfp tracts of land, amonniinir, m 
all, to more tlian sixty millions of acres, and 
cnd)racing n largt portion (d the rieiiesl region 
in onr couiitrr. 

In their hrqucnt intercourse \\i;h Gorcr- 
nor Harrison, ibe Iiirlian.^ had harned to re- 
sped Ins undaunKd firintie.vs, and were, at ih. 
same lime, connliatcd by hi.-* kindness ofnian- 
licr and rnnsiderate Imln nianep. This, uidi 
liis intimiiio know hdgf; (.filu- Iiidi;;ii rharac- 
ler, is the tiuc secret of the remarkable suc- 



cess that has uniformly attended every treat? 
he has attempted to eflect. 

The various and arduous duties of the gov- 
ernor of Indiana required, for this ofiice, aman 
of very superior abilUits — one possessed of 
stern integrity and prudent moderation, accom- 
panied by the nos; unwavering firmness. Such 
a man Governor Harrison, in the long course 
of his administration, fully proved himself to 
be. The plainest evidence of this, to those 
who are not familiar with the history of Indi- 
ana during this period, is the fact, that, for 
l/iirleen ycars^ at every successive exj)iration 
of his term of office, he was re-appointed, at 
the earnest solicitation of the people of tiie ter- 
ritory, and with tlie public expression of the 
most flattering approhatinn on the part of our 
chief executive. And iliis too, notwiihsland- 
iiig the entire change which had taken place 
within that lime in the ruling politics of' the 
country — his first appointment having been 
made by Mr. Adams, his second and third by 
Mr. Ji illr.-on, and his fourth by i\Ir. IMadison. 
Tlie following extract from the re.«oluijon, u- 
naniinoue-ly passed by die House of Represen- 
taiives of Indiana, in the year 1809, request- 
ing the re-appointment of Governor Hairison, 
will show the estimate which a long acquain- 
tance had taught them of his worth : — 

'•They (the House of Represeniatives) can- 
not forbear recommending to, and requesting 
of, the President and Senate, most earnestly 
in their own names, and in the names of their 
Cfuistitueiits, the re-appointment of their pres- 
ent governor, William lienry Harrison, — be- 
cause he possesses ihe good wishes and afl'ec- 
lions of a great majority of his fellow-citizens ; 
— because they believe him sincerely attached 
to the Union, ihe prosperity of the United 
Stales, and the a(lininislration of its govern- 
ment-, — because ihey believe him in a supe- 
rior degree capable of promoting the interest 
of our territory •, from long experience and la- 
boriousatleniion to its concerns, from his in- 
diunce over the Indians, and wise and disin- 
terested manafremciu ojiliat department; and 
iiecause they have confidence in his virtues, 
tab lit?, ami repuldicanism." 

If necessary, we miubl fill a gnodiv v(dume 
with extracts from public documents (tfn sim- 
ilar nature ; but « bat slroiioer proof iban this 
could we have of the popularity of Governor 
Harrison, and (d' the entire confidence widi 
which the jk <>|)!e relied on his integrity and a- 
biliiy as a sialesinan .' 

In die year 1805, the celebrnted Indian chief, 
Terumibe, and his notorious brother, the 
Sliawaiic-o projihet, 01-li- wa-chi-ca, (soine- 
limcs called Kls-kwa-law-a.) began to create 
'lisiui bailees on the frontiers of Indiana. Te- 
cumibe was a bold and ciarinjr warrior; saga- 
cious in council and foriiiiilable in battle. The 



prophet ViZ3 a sUrewd impostor ; cunnino:, 
aiiful, and treaclierous; — and ihey were lea- 
gued together by the tie of mutual interests, and 
a common hatred to the whites. The object 
of these crafty intriguers was to form, by their 
own influence and the aid of foreign emissaries, 
a combination among all the Norllnveslern 
tribes of Indians — will) the hope, that by a si- 
multaneous attack, they might destroy all the 
whiles, or force them from the Valley of the 
Mississipjji. But their designs were soon 
known to Governor Harrison, and, aware of 
his dangerous situation, his prudence and wise 
policy enabled him, for several years, to hold 
liis savage neighbors in check. The follow- 
ing extract from a speech, which he delivered 
to the legislature of [ndiana, in 1S09, will 
eerve to show that he fully understood the na- 
ture and cause af the excitement then existing 
among the Indians — ''Preseating, as we do," 
said Governor liai rison, "a very extended fron- 
tier to numerous and warlike tribes of the ab- 
origines, the state of our relations with them 
must always form an important and interesting 
feature in our local politics. It is with regret 
that I have to inform yon, that the harmony 
and good understanding which it is so much 
our interest to cultivate with those our neigh- 
bours, have, for some time past, experienced a 
considerable interruption, and that we have in- 
deed been threatened with hostilities', by a 
combination formed under the auspices of a 
bold adventurer, who pretended to act under 
the immediate inspiration of the Deity. His 
character as a prophet would not, however, 
hare given him any very dangerous influence, 
if he had not been assisted by the intrigut^s 
and advice of foreign agents?, and other disai 
fected persons, who have for years omitted no 
opportunity of counteracting the measures of 
the government withjegaid to the Indians, and 
filling iheir naturally jealous minds with sus- 
picions of thejuslice aud integrity of our views 
towards them." 

Two years subsequent to thi?, in 1811, from 
petty aggressions, the Indians proceeded to 
more open violence, and acts of decided hos- 
tiliiy. The war whoop was again heard yell- 
ing within the limits of the territory, and ev- 
ery day brought fresh accounts of the perpe- 
tration of thoL'C atrocious deeds of depredation 
and murder, which always gives the first inti- 
mation of a savage war. From motives ol hu- 
manity as well as policy. Governor Harrison 
had always endeavoured to avoid a war with 
the Indians ; but when this result became un- 
avoidable, he promptly adopted the most ener- 
getic i!>sasure« within his limited resources, 
10 place the territory in a posture of defence. 
At his own earnest request, and at the solicita- 
tion of the people, the President, soon after, di- 
rected him to march with an armed force to- 



wards ike principal place of reixlezvous of i!ic 
liostile Indians, the Prophet's town, on the 
Wabash, near the moudi of the Tip[)ecanoe — 
where this crafty impostor had assembled a 
body of more than a iliousand fierce warriors, 
ready to obey his will. 

Governor Harrison immediately assembled 
five hundred of the militia and volunteers of In- 
diana. These with a regiment of United States 
infantry, consisting of three hundred and fifty 
men, commanded by Colonel Boyd, and a small 
body of volunteers from fCentucky, constituted 
his whole available force — amounting in all to 
about nine hundred efFtctive men. As soon 
as he had disciplined these troops, and trained 
both the regulars and militia in tl-.e Indian 
mode of warfare, he took up his line of march 
towartis the Propliei's town. 

He left Fort Harrison, on the Wabash, about 
sixty miles above Vincenne?, on the 2Sih of 
October, IS 11. Profiting by his own early 
experience, [this was seventeen years after the 
battle of Miami,] and tlie remembered exam- 
ple of his old friend and commander, General 
Wayne, his march througii a wild country to 
Tippecanoe, was conducted with so mucii 
skill and prudence, tlvit he avoided all dan- 
ger of ambuscade or surprise from the savage 
foe. On the 6th of November, the army ar- 
rived within five or six miles of tlie Prophet's 
town. According to tlie in?1ruei!on5 he had 
received fron the Presidcn,^.CiiOvcrB«f Harri- 
son imraediatel;^ sent in a flag of truce, to ep- 
deavoT to open an jmicable negotiation, iih 
the hosiilu Indian? To tliid overture,, the 
Proplict returned a deceitful reply — he pro- 
fessed the most pacific intention.', and agreed 
to meet Harrison the next day in cat. »4ci!, with 
his chiefs, to settle dofiititely the terms of 
1) ace. But H.irrison knew too well ihfl trerch- 
ery of his anful antagonist to allow himself to 
be deceived by his specious professions, or 
lulled into any fancied security, ffc carefully 
selected the most eligible and defensible posi- 
tion for his encampment, and ordered his troops 
to lie upon their arms all night, that they 
might be in readiness, at a moment's warning, 
to rei)el any sudden attack of the enemy. The 
sequel proved that these precautions were 
wisely adopted — An anxious iiiglii passed a- 
way without interruption ; but al)oul four 
o'clock, on the following morning, two hours 
before d;iy light, a sentinel at one of the out- 
posts discovered an Indian creeping stealthily 
towards the camp. He immediately gave the 
alarm, and almost at the same instant, u strong 
body of the enemy rushed towards the en- 
campment, with the most savage yells. They 
made a furious charge on the left of the camp ; 
and so sudden and desperate was their onset, 
that the ouard gtalioned in that quarter, gave 
way, at first, to their fierce assailants. But 



flese brave Iroops *oon raJlifd, and retrk-ved 
5hr ground ihey Lad lo.t. TliP ramp fire^ 
were exiinijiii.hcd vviih all pos^hle hasir, and 
the battle was nrnv wajre,! on mt.rc f(|Mal tr'rm* 
Our gallant troops fo,iu|,! „j,h tf,e moMrlarinff 
intrepidity, and their )=avai:e Coes evinred a des- 
perate valour worihy (da belter cause. The 
battle raged with area I fury till the dawn of 
day, when a simidtaiipoiis charge was made 
upon the enemy, on either flank, and ihev 
were speedily put to fl.ifht, wiih great Ios« 
find the battle terminated. D-irmt; aU this time' 
the ra|.^e Prophet hid been seated at a saf.'dis-' 
Jance from the field of battle, chaniincr a Mar- 
^ong, and promising viclorv to his" deluded 
breifiren. 

The battle of Tippecanoe was one of the 
moM spirited and best f.Might actions recorded 
in the annals of our rndiaii wars. The num- 
ber.* and the weapr.ns on eiihcr Mde were near- 
ly fqnal ; and the Indians, contrary to their 
usual custom, fought lK-!,d to hand, and with 
the fierce.n bravery. Everv man in this battle 
encountered his share of danger, hut no m^n 
was in more personal peril than Governor 
Harrison himself— well known to manv of -he 
Indians and the object of their pecnIiaV attack 
.—his fearless ,and unshrinking exposure 
makes It seem almost a miracle Uiat he should" 
hare escaped un wounded. In rcferrintr to the 
coo ness and intrepidity of Governor Harrison, 
on ihi. occasion, we cannot refrain from mak- 
ing the (ollow.ng extracts from a journal pub- 
l.shed in 1 8 J fi, by a private s..|dier; who fought 
'n tlM.s battle, and who could have bad no "in- 
tfrested motives for his publication :-''Gene- 
ral ]Jarrison,"he says.^received a shot ihronal, 
-e run of h,., hat. In t.he heal of the action 
-is voice was frequently |,eard, and easily dis- 
tmgmshed, g,v,ng bi.s orders in the same calm, 
cool and collected manner, with which we 
had been used to receive them on drill or pa- 
rade. I he confidence of the troops in dfe 
Genera wa-s unlimited." The same writer 
n speaking of Harr,son'« kirulnes.s ,o the ol-' 
;.ers,andhis,nnnenceoverthem, remarks 1 
♦He appeared not dispo.^ed to de.amanv nan 

;'«n.s, lusn.Hination; being endowed "bva- 
..re with a heart as humane as brave, i , Z 

frequent addre..es to the mditia, his elo, 
Mas forn.ed to nersuade ; „pp.„ls were ma.le 
o reason as well as feeling,' 'and „ever w 
tliey made m vain." 

An incident that occurred al thi» time is 
worth recording. The night before te;.! 
le an .nd.v,,,„, belonging to the camp, w.. 
had been rn.ssmg, was arrested near the Gov- 
ernor .. marquee, under very suspicious cir- 
cntuMances. Ho „,, ,,,,, l^. „ ,^,,,,.1^ , 

or de,ert,on to the enemy, and for an atte , 

o assassinate the Governor. SufT.cient ev,- 

uence was found to convict Inm, and he was 



«n encedto d^a.h ; yei .uch were the humane 
eelin^s of [farrison, that he could not induce 
'• mself to si.n the onler for his execution! 
■As the criminal attempt had been made aaain.t 
'MS own life, he felt bim.^elr privileged to Ex- 
ercise his benevolence towards ,he%.n-ender, 
and the mi.^gn,de<l wretch was sufTerc,! to es- 
cape the just punishment of his crime, h 
would have been more in accordance with the 

principles of .strict justice, to have allowed the 
law to lake Its own cour.se in this instance: 
bnithe circumstances of the ca.se were verv 
peculiar, and Governor Harri.«on's conduct e'- 
vinced a magnanimity a,ul humanitv of heart 
rarely equalled. • 

The importance of the victory at Tippeca- 
noe cannot be too highly estimated, it quell- 

edtheliaughty spirit of the discontented and 

ostde Indians, and defeated the plan, which 

>bev ha<l alo.ost matured, of attacking and de- 

.Tpnd"^r"i'' '''.""■''' ^"^''^'- "^"l^'nents in 
detail Had we lost this battle, our armv must 
nave been annihilated-.he whole of „ur de- 
fenceless frontier woubl have been left to the 
mercy of sanguinary and unsparing .savages 
and the consequent loss of life, and destruction 
nf^property would have been almost incalcu- 

The_^President, in his message to Congress, 
"ated December ISlh, IS !-, makes the follow- 
mg honourable mention of d.is batde • "While 

tu"'S\ "• ^' '^"-"'^'l." ^ays Mr. Madi- 
s/)n, that so many valuable lives have been 

lo^tin.heaction which took place on the 9il 
"It. Congress wdl see, with satisfaction, t 
'' i",tless spirit and fortitude victoriously d. ! 
P ayed by every description of troops enLed 
a'^ «el as the collected firmness which !bs 
•nigtiished their commaiuK., on an o a j^ n 

S;Z."''^"'"^"^^^^''-°^-'--nd 
The Legislature of Kentucky, at ,beir en- 

ca 01 bv "T?. '^^"""'' '•""''"^t-on this oc. 
casio,,, by the iollowmg complimentary reso. 

.ain'sMhe";'','^'"' '" "'^ '«'^ --P-^- a- 

VV I 1' "',''' "" "'^ ^^*'>^«^''' Governor 
vv.ll Harrison has, m the opinion of this le. 
t,M«la,ure, behaved like a hero a ;,a/r, ,/ a m a 

j;jc.al ; and that for his cool, dHiberat,k.,! 
K and gallant comhict, in the late ba tie f 

^rwec..oe,hedeservesthe,c....Mhani::f 

'I'liis encomium came from those whose 
trends and neighbours had participated m tl e 
'Hie campaign, and who wericonslquenv fa- 

J\ar was declared against Great Britain in 
' '- Irior to this event, nritish agents had, 
»or a long tunc, been tampering wah the dia- 



d 



eontented InJians within our territory, and had 
bribed them uilh present?, and furnished them 
with fire-arms, to indnre them to renew their 
hosfilities against our conntry. The crafty 
and daring Tecumilie, too, was once more in 
the fiehi. Urged on by his savage eloquence, 
by (heir own native love for war and plunder, 
and by the atrocious intrigues of foreign agents, 
the northwestern Indians again raised the war- 
whoop, and commenced llieir barbarous sys- 
tem of warfare. Their cruel murders and 
depredations became of frequent occurrence, 
and the wai|in|r of bereaved mothers and or- 
phans, and the bitter complaints of those who 
had escaped from the conflagration of their 
plundered homes, excited the commiseration 
ofonr hardy borderers, and roused a general 
feeling of indignation. Such was the state o( 
e.vcitement in our frontier settlements in the 
summer of 1812. 

Immediately after the declaration of war, 
our western gorernors promptly adopted every 
measure in their power, for the defence of their 
respective states and territories. But conscious 
of ilie great abilities and experience of Harri- 
son, they placed the utmost reliance on his 
counsels, and looked on him as the leader, un- 
der whom they might hope for success against 
the common enemy. He aided Governor Ed- 
wards in placing the frontier of Illinois in a 
posture of defence, and soon after, was invited 
by Governor Scott, of Kentucky, to a confer- 
ence in relation to the Kentucky troops, which 
had been raised for the defence of the f^rontier. 
He accepted this invitation, e-nd met Governor 
Scott at Frankfort ; where he was received 
with the acclamations of the people, and with 
the highest civil and military honours. These 
public marks of the high estimation in which 
Harrison was held by the people, were short- 
ly after followed by proofs still more flatter- 
ing, of their confidence in his patriotism, his a- 
bilities, and his military skill. 

Governor Scott had levied an armed force 
of more than five thousand militia and volun- 
teers, commanded by some of the ablest men 
and most experienced officers in the Slate. 
Two thousand of these troops were ordered 
for immediate service ; and they had no soon- 
er learned that they were destined to march to 
the aid of their fellow-countrymen on the fron- 
tier, than they at once unanimously expressed 
the most earnest desire to be placed under the 
command of Governor Harrison. This desire 
was responded to by the wishes of the peo- 
ple throughout the State. The laws of Ken- 
tucky, however, would not permit any other 
than a citizen, to hold a command in the state 
militia. In this dilemma, Governor Scott con- 
sulted with the venerable Shelby, (the gover- 
nor elect,) the Hon. Henry Clay, and other 
distinguished citizens of the state ; and by 



their unanimous advice he gave Harrkon a 
brevet commission of major-general in the 
Kentucky militia, with express authoritv to 
take command of the gallant troops about to 
march to the frontier. This was a bold and 
unprecedented measure, but one that gave un- 
bounded satisfaction to both sohhcrs and citi- 
zens, and one fully warranted by the peculiar 
exigencies of the case. These lacls speak 
volumes in favour of (he remarkable popular- 
ity which General flarrison enjoyed in a pm- 
idalion of brave and chivalric people. 

Al)nnt this time the cowardice and imbecil- 
ity of General Hull tamely surrendered to the 
British the important post of Detroit, with the 
gallant force which composed its garrison. 
This event spread consternation, far and wide, 
through the western country, and greatly in- 
creased the difficulty and arduous nature of 
Governor Harrison's duties. He immediately 
organized die brave troops under his com- 
niand, and commenced a course of rigid dis- 
cipline and military training; with the confi- 
dent hope of retrieving the disasters conse- 
quent upon the cowardly surrender of Detroit. 
Soon after, he was appointed a brigadier- 
general in the service of the United States. 
But, as the chief command of the western ar- 
my was conferred on General Winchester, Har- 
rison declined accepting the commission ten- 
dered him, and gave up his command, to re- 
turn to Indiana, and resume the duties of his 
territorial government. 

General Winchester was an old revolution- 
ary soldier, and a brave and mcritous officer; 
but one who was not, like Harrison, posses.sed 
of the enthusiastic confidence of the army, 
Governor Harrison exerted every eiTort in his 
power to reconcile the troops to this chamre. 
But soon after he left then, their displeasure 
at having been deprived of their favourite com, 
mander was not confined to murmurs, but cre- 
ated disaffection and almost mutiny. 

No sooner was the President made aware 
of the condition of the army, and of the almost 
unanimou-i wishes of tiie western people, than 
he immediately appointed Harrison, in place 
of Winchester, coinmandcr-in-rhief of the 
northwestern army. The despatch conveying- 
this appoinUnent, overtook him on his way to 
Indiana, and he returned without delay to the 
army. 

The powers conferred on Harrison, as com-, 
mander-in chief of the northwestern army, were 
of great extent, and he was left to exercise 
them according to his own unrestricted Judg- 
ment. In the dispatch containing this appoint- 
ment, dated September 17th, 181-2, the Secre- 
tary of War says :— 'Tou will command such 
means as may be .practicable — exercise your 
own discretion, and act in all cases according 
to your own judgement"— thus conferring up- 



10 



on him exlraoruinary and almost Hnlimited 
power. We refer to thi?, merely that we may 
liere notice ilie remarliablc fact, that, ihoiigli 
vested with unusual powers, General Harrison 
was never known, durin;; the whule of his 
command, to exercise his amhorily in an un- 
just or oppressive mantier. His measures were 
energetic, but always qualilied by his chnrac- 
teristic moderation and liumanity, and by a re- 
gard for the feelings of even the meanest soldier 
in his camp. 

The duties that devolved on General Har- 
rison, in his new stalitm, were arduous be- 
yond description. The troops under his com- 
mand, tliough brave, were mostly inexperienced 
and undisciplined recruits •, and the army was 
badly equipped, and nearly destitute of bag- 
gage and military stores. Willi these limited 
mcaus, and imder these unfcivourabe circum- 
stances, lie was required to defend an immense 
extent of frontier, stretching along the shores 
of the great northern lakes, whose numerous 
harbours and rivers were easy of access to the 
enemy. In addition to this, the roads leading 
to those points which most rcquirerl defence, 
ivere nearly impassable, and lay, for hundreds 
of miles, through a wiUlerness swarming wiih 
hostile Indians, and through gloomy and dan- 
gerous swamp*, where tlie troop?, though litde 
encumbered with baggage, could advance but 
slowly, and with great fatigue. Under all these 
dilhcultics, the spirits of the soldiers were sus- 
tained by llie presence and e.\ample of their 
favourite commander — who animated them in 
• their fatigues, and cheerfully endured the .same 
liardships and privations which they eneoun- 
lered. 

The autumn and early part of the winter 
were spent in active and laborious preparations 
for the approaching summer campaign — roads 
were cut, depots formed, forts built, and a few 
expeditions were sent out to proti^cl our out- 
p()st«, and keep the enemy in check. One of 
these expeditions, consisting of a detacbment 
of six hundred men, under Lieutenant Colonel 
Campbell, was .•^ent by General Harrison a- 
gainsl a fortified Indian village, from which our 
troops had suni'reil mm h annoyance. This 
ciilcrprisc wa.s conducted with great skill aud 
fuccess. The village was attacked in llic 
most gallant manner, and, after a desperate ac- 
lioii of more than an hour, was carried at the 
point t)f tlie havonet. From the general order 
issued by llarnsoii, on the return of this ex- 
pedition, we make the f(»llowing extract, which 
will convey ffune idea of llie lni'i;ane and gen- 
rntus frelings, ilial have always characterized 
both his pnlilic ar.i! [irivale conduct, .\firr 
awardini' llicjo gall inl troops the hiizh meed 
of praise which dieir bravery had won, he 
gocH on to sav, — '"But llie character of this 
gallant detachment, exiiibiting as it did, per- 



severance, forlitt^Je, and bravery, would, how- 
ever, be incomplete, if, in the midst of victory, 
they had forgotten t!ie feelings of humanity. 
It is with the sincerest pleasure that the Gen- 
eral has heard, thai the most punctual obedi- 
ence was paid to his orders, in not only saving 
all the women and children, but in sparing all 
die warriors who ceased to resist, and that even 
when vigorously attacked by the enemy, the 
claims of mere)' prevailed over every sense of 
their own danger, and this heroic band respect- 
ed the lives of tlieir prisoners. Let an ac* 
count of murdered innocence be opened in the 
records of heaven, against our enemies alone. 
The American soldier will follow the exam- 
ple of liis government ; and the sword of the 
one will not be raised against the fallen and 
helpless, nor the gold of the other be paid for 
the scalps of a massacred enemy." What a 
contrast do these noble sentiments present to 
the atrocious conduct of the British General, 
Pro.ctor — wh^jjat the cruel massacre at Hasin 
River, and elsewhere, basely permitted unre- 
sisting prisoners of war to be butchered, by hia 
savage allies, in cold blood. 

Lnte in the season the army went into win- 
ter quarters at their strongly fortified position 
on the banks of the Miami, near the rapids, 
which was Ciiiled Camp !\Ieigs, in honour of 
the patriotic governor of Ohio. Leaving the 
army at tliat station. General Harrison pro- 
ceeded to Cmcinnali, to procure reinforcements 
of men, and supplies of provisions and milita- 
ry stores, for the approaching campaign. But 
early in the spring, intelligence was received 
ihal the British were making extensive pre- 
parations, and concentraling a large force of 
regular soldiers, Canadians, and Indians, to 
besiojiG Fort iMei^^s. On obtaining this infor- 
mation, General Harrison hastened to his camp, 
and exerted the most strenuous ellorts, to pre- 
pare for this threatened attack of the enemy. 
His presence cheered the troops, and he in- 
spired them with fresh ardour, oii the approach 
of the enemv, by an eloquent address, in which 
lie alluded modestly, but in the most animat- 
ing manner, to the neighbouring baltle-lield, 
wtiere General Wayne had gained the brdlianl 
victory of the !\liami, and where he himself 
had won the briglitesl of his earlier laurels. 

On the Q8;li of April, 18 1. S, the scoula 
broui'lit in inle!li"^oncc of the arrival of ihe en- 
emy. On the same ilay a strong force ol Brit- 
ish and Indians ascended the river in boats, 
and disniiliarkcd, parily on the southeastern 
shore, anil parily on the op[)osite side of the 
river. Here tliey immediately commenced the 
conslrnc'.ion oftlircc powerful batteries. Cor- 
rrsponding traverses were made widiin the 
Fori, aiil every approacii of llie enemy was 
met and foiledj with consummate skill and 
bravery. 



11 



n tlie first of May, the batteries of the en- 
being completed, tfiey opened a heavy 
oiiading, wliich was returned with equal 
ir from the Fort. Tliis cannonading was 
niied without intermission for five days; 
• wing to the skilful tlispositions of Gene- 
[arrison, it was allemied willi very little 
on our side. 

1 the fifth of May, a gallant reinforcement 
enliickians, under General Clay, fought 

way to the camp; and Harrison availing 
elf of this occurrence, promptly ordered 
■lie to be made from the Fort to destroy 
batteries of the enemy. The detachment 
'ed to this service, consisted of three hun- 
and fifty men, a part of whom were reg- 
■, and the remainder volunteers and Ken- 
y militia, under llie'commaiul of Colonel 
3r, of the United Slates army. These 
3 troops attacked a body of British regu- 
and Indians, of more than double their 
ber;but the impetuosity of their charge 

irresistable, and ai"ter a severe struggle, 

drove the enemy from the batteries. They 
ed the cannon, took a large nuaiber of 
)ners, and having fully accomj)lished their 
ct, returned in triumph to the Fort. This 
c Vv'as one of the most sanguinary and des- 
te actions fought during the whule war — 
its brilliant success was richl}' merited, by 
ntrepid gallantry of the brave troops en- 
d in it. 

hvvarted by the skilful dispositions of ITar- 
1, and by the battle, or rather succession 
iitles, fought on the fifth. Proctor was com- 
;d to abandon the siege of Fort Meigs ; and 
lie eighth of May, he broke up his camp, 

retreated in disappointment and disgrace. 
Iius terminated tlie glorious defence of 
Meigs. Harrison, soon after, left Gen- 
Clay in command of that important post, 

unwearied iti his exertions, proceeded to 
s difficult and arduous duties, at other ex- 
^d stations. 

he unceasing efforts of the British, and the 
ess s[)irit of Tecumthe, alloweii our troops 
little time to recover from their severe fa- 
ss. \n less than two months after the 
e of Fort ]\!eigs had been abandoned, the 
ans assembled a formidable body of more 

five thousand warriors, under their most 
(i chiefs, and ngain threatened an attack 
hat fortress. On recciviug this intilli- 
-e. General Harrison, with a small body of 
liars, hastened to Fort Meigs, by forced 
dies, and fortunately arrived there before 

enemy. Leaving a reinforcement with 
eral Clay, he returned without delay to liii 
e ciclive duties. 

)uriiig the wIkjIo of this interesting cam- 
n, ilie vigilance and the intrejiidity of Gen- 
Harrison, with the bravery of his soldiers, 



enableti nim to keep a far superior force of the 
enemy in check, and to protect the wide ex- 
tent of our exposed frontier. 

At about the period when the enemy invested 
Fort Meigs for the second time, they made a 
desperate attack on Fort Stephenson, a tempo- 
rary depot at Lower Sandusky, which was 
bravely and successfully defended by Major 
Croghan, of the regular service. 

We lay before our readers the following 
short extracts from an address to the public, 
relative to this affair, which was voluntarily 
published by the general, field, and staff o.'Ii- 
cers of General Harrison's army. After ex- 
pressing their "regret and surprise, that char- 
ges as improper in form as in substance, should 
have been made against General Harrison, du- 
ring the recent investment of Lower Sandus- 
ky," they go on to say :— '-He who belie vea 
iliat with our disposable force, and under the 
circumstances which then occurred, General 
Harrison ought to have advanced upon the en- 
emy, must be left to correct his opinion in the 
school of experience. 

"On a review of the course then adopted, we 
are decidedly of the opinion, that it was such 
as was dictated by military wisdom, and by a 
due regard to our circumstances, and to the 
situation of the enemy. * * * * And witli a ready 
acquiescence, beyond the mere claims of mil- 
itary duty, we are prepared to obey a general, 
whose measures meet our most deliberate ap- 
probation, and merit that (»f his country." 

The chivalrous and noble-spirited Crogiian, 
who was one of the signers of the above ad- 
dress, about the same lime published anotiier 
paper on this subject, dated from Lower San- 
dusky, in which he says :— '•! have with much 
regret seen in some of the public prints such 
misrepresentations respecting my refusal to e- 
vacuate this post, as are calculated not only 
to injure me in the estimation of military men, 
but also to excite unfavourable impressions aa 
to the propriety of General Harrison's conduct 
relative to this affair. 

'•His character a? a military man is too well 
established to need my approbation or siippf)rt. 
But his public service etitiik-^ him at least to 
common justice. This affiir does not furnish 
cause ofreproacii. if public opinion has been 
lately mi.sled respecting his late conduct, it 
will require but a moment's cool, di-|)a5sion- 
ate refieclion, to convince tiiom ol iti propri- 
ety. The measures recent J tj adnj ted bi/ him, 
so far J mm deserving censure, are Ike clear- 
est jproofs of his keen penetration and able 
generalship.'*^ 

Disai>poinled in their hopes of j)!uiider, and 
dispirited by the nnrnerou-i dcf;'ais ihpy had 
Ml^•tained, the savage allien of the British had 
become discontented ; the second siege of Fort 
Meigs had been abandoned, and graducillv the 



^ 



n 



^nemy entirely withdrew from our territory, 
and concentrated their forces at Maiden, their 
principal stronghold in Upper Canada. It will 
thus be seen, thai the skill with which Gene- 
ral Harrison had conducted his defensive op- 
erations, the only resource left him in the face 
of a superior foe, had been eminently success- 
ful ; and had not only protected our widely 
extended frontier, but had eventually forced 
the enemy to retire, mortified and humbled by 
defeat, from our country. 

The activity and enterprise of General Har- 
rison, did not long permit the en«my to rest, 
after their reireat from our territory. He im- 
mediately commenced preparations for carry- 
ing the war into their own country, and form- 
ed his plan for the capture of Maiden, and the 
conquest of Upper Canada. 

Commodore Perry hail been instructed to 
co-operate with General Harrison, with the 
fleet under his command, and by a happy co- 
incidence, that gallant hero gained his glori- 
oui victory on Lake Erie, and captured the en- 
lire squadron of the enemy, just about the 
time when General Harrison had matured his 
plans for the invasion of Canada. 

On the 27ih of September, the troops em- 
barked at Sandusky Bay, and advanced towards 
Maiden, expecting to find the British and in- 
<lians encamped therein full force. But upon 
ianding on the Canada shore, they found that 
Proctor, disheartened by his recent defeats, had 
^andoned that stronghold, after liaving des- 
itroyed the^ortand navy-} ard •, and had retreat- 
ed with Ins regulars and savage allies to Sand- 
wich. Our army encamped at Maiden, and 
:the patriotic troops could not restrain their ex- 
■i)llalion, on having gained possession of the 
fortress from which had issued, for years past, 
those ruthle.s8 bands of savages, which hail 
swept over our extended frontier, like the wing 
of the deatroying angel, leaving deadi and de- 
atrnctiun only in their path. 

Our army advanced rapidly in pursuit of the 
enemy, and overtook them on the 5ih of Oc- 
tober, at a place which is destined to be re- 
membered, as the battle ground of one of the 
most remarkable and decisive actions fought 
during the war. 

Grneral Proctor, having had his choice of 
ground, occupied a.ilrotig position, llanked on 
Uie left by the river 'I'liauies, and on the right 
by a tiwanip, beyond which were posted two 
ihousaiul Indians, under 'I\'cumlhe. But Proc- 
tor commillLiI un irrelrieval)li; error, in planiig 
his regular suldiern, in open order, and extend- 
ing his line by [)laring the files at a distance of 
ihrre or four feet frotn «arh other. 

The American nrmv advance in order of 
bntlle, ntid when in the immediale neighbour- 
hood of the ciu'iiiy, (he mconnoitcring parties 
|i>roughi in intelltgence of the dicposiiions Proc- 



tor had made. Harrison, wfth the rapfd ile- 
cision of an able general, instantly availed him- 
self of the error of his opponent, and ordered 
Colonel Johnson to charge the enemy's line 
in column, with his regiment of mounted Ken- 
tuckians. The extended and weakened line 
of the enemy could olfer but a feeble resistance 
to the charge of these gallant troops; who 
dashed through their ranks, with overwhelming 
impetuosity, and formed and attacked them in 
the rear. Panic-struck by this bold and un- 
expected manoeuvre, and at being assailed both 
in front and rear, the British threw down their 
arms in dismay, and the whole army was cap- 
tured, with the exception of a few who escap- 
ed by an early flight with Proctor. The In- 
dians attacked our troops on the left, and 
fought with great fierceness and daring, until 
repulsed with great slaughter. 

The decisive and important battle was ihns 
fought and won, in a space of time almost in- 
credibly short, and with a very trifling loss 
only on our side. All the baggage of the en- 
emy, and their valuable military stores, to- 
gether with the ofllcial papers of Proctor, fell 
into our hands ; and several pieces of brass 
cannon, which had been taken from the Brit- 
ish in our revolutionary victories, but which 
Hull had shamefully surrendered at Detroit, 
were again captured from our ancient foe. 

The united force of the British regulars 
and Indians engaged in this battle, amounted 
to more than 2800 — the number of our troops 
was less than 2500 — and those were princi- 
pally militia and volunteers. The venerable 
Governor Shelby commanded the Kentucky 
volunteers in this battle, and General Cass, the 
lale secretary ol war, and the heroic Perry, 
acted as volunteer aids to General Harrison. 
This brilliant victory, following up the rapture 
of their fleet on Lake Erie by the gallant Per- 
ry, entirely destroyed the force of the enemy 
in Upper Canada, and put an end to the war 
on our northwestern frontier. 

On receiving the news of this glorious e- 
venl, the thanks of Congress were expressed 
to General Harrison in llie warn)csl manner. 
Among many others, whose grateful feelings 
found utterance on this occasion, the Hon. 
LangdonCheves observed, on the floor of Con- 
gress-, that — '>The victory ol Harrison was 
such as would have secured to a Boman gene- 
ral in the best days ol the Republic, the hon- 
ours of a triumph." A senti-nrnl which was 
fully responded to, in ihu comjdimentary no- 
tices which he received from every part of the 
union. 

Having entirely defeated the enemy in Up- 
per Canada, General Harrison advanced wi.* 
n part of his army, to the Niagara frontier, and 
thence to Sackeli's Harbour, where he left 
the troops, and proceeded to the seat of gov- 



la 



4rnmen4. On Ms way tiither, he passed 
through New York and Philadelphia; in which 
cities he was received with the most flatteiing 
marks of public honour and distinction. Af- 
ter the necessary delay of a few days at Wash- 
ington, General Harrison proceeded to Ohio, 
where important duties required his presence. 
In the plan for" the ensuing campaign, to the 
surprise and regret of the public, General Har- 
rison was designated fur a service, far inferi- 
or to that which he had a right to expect. 
Regardless of the memorable victories which 
this gallant and experienced ofRcer had won, 
and unmindful of the various and important 
services which he had rendered to his country, 
the Secretary of War saw fit to assign lo him 
the command of a district, where he would be 
compelled lo remain inactive, while others 
were appointed to those more arduous duties, 
which he had heretofore ftdfilled with so much 
honour to himself, and to the nation. As if 
still unsatisfied with the insult which he had 
offered to General Harrison, the secretary of 
war, on the 25lh of April, 1814, appointed a 
eubordinate officer to a separate command 
within his district, and notified him to that ef- 
fect. On the receipt of this notification, Gen- 
eral Harrison instantly addressed a letter to the 
secretary, tendering his resignation, with a no- 
tification thereof to the president. "As soon 
as Governor Shelby heard of the resignation 
of General Harrison, he lost no lime in ad- 
dressing the president in his usual forcible 
terms, to prevent his acceptance of it ; but un- 
fortunately for the public interests, the presi- 
dent was then on a visit to Virginia, to which 
place the letters from General Harrison and 
Governor Shelby were forwarded, and that of 
the latter was not received until after the Sec- 
retary, Armstrong, without the previous 
CONSENT OF THE PRESIDENT, had assumed to 
himself the high prerogative of accepting the 
resignation. The president expressed his great 
regret that the letter of Governor Shelby had 
not been received earlier, as in that ease the 
valuable services of General Harrison would 
have been preserved to the nation in the ensu- 



55* 



nig campaign 

In this resignation, General Harrison evinced 



the true . patriotism and disinterestedness, 
which always marked his conduct. He would 
cheerfully liave devoted his services to his 
country, even in an appointment inferior to 
that which should have been assigned to him 
— but he was loo hig«!)-principle(l lo retain his 
rank, by yielding assent to a measure, which 
he considered lo be subversive of military or- 
der and discipline ; and though his own for- 
tune had been shattered by the neglect of his 
private affairs, for the benefit of the public, yet 

* DawBon- 



he scorned lo receive the pay and emolumenf^ 
of his ofhce, when he was no longer permitted 
to perform its duties actively and iionourably, 
it would be difficult, at ihis period, lo trace 
oul the true motives that induced the secreta- 
ry of war lo the unjustifiable course he pursu- 
ed in this aflkir. But some knowledge of those 
events of the war in which be bore a pan, 
with a little in sight into human nature, would 
suggest that the leading causes which prompt- 
ed him, were the envy and jealousy, which » 
narrowminded man would naturally feel, on 
contrasting his own feeble efforts, and abortive 
attempts, with the consummate skill, the bril- 
liant victories, and the almesl uniform success- 
es of another. That he had acted in an arbi- 
trary and unwarrantable manner, was after- 
wards clearly proved. And in the investiga- 
tion which took place in Congress in the wii>- 
ter of 1816—17, it become so evident that Gen- 
eral Harrison had been treated with great in- 
justice by the war department, that a resolution' 
giving him a gold medal and the thanks- 
OF CONGRESS, was passcd with but one dis- 
senting voice in both houses of Congress. 

The leading events in the campaigns of 
18 12-- 13, — the gallant defence of Fort Meigs^ 
and the decisive victory of the Thames, are 
lasting memorials of General Harrison's mili- 
tary genius. Yet, for these isolated actions, 
he deserves far less praise than for the skilful 
operations, and the Fabian policy, which led 
lo these and other successes. The prudent 
care and indefaii^able exertions, by which he 
provided for his «rmy in a wild and devastated 
country — the promptness and unwearied ac- 
tivity, with which he met and defeated the 
schemes of his antagonists — and the admirable- 
skill, with which he held in check an enemy 
far snpeiior ill numbers, and with a small force 
protected an extended line of frontier, and 
guarded the lives and properly of thousands of 
his fellow-citizens, betokened a genius of the 
highest order, with a vigorous mind eonstanl- 
ly on the alert. 

Soon after his resignation, in the summer o. 
1814, Mr. Madison evinced his unabated con- 
fidence in the abilities and integrity of General 
Harrison, by appointing him to treat with the 



Indians, in conjunction with his old compan- 
ions in arms. Governor Shelby and General 
Cass. And in ihe following year, he was pla- 
ced at the head of another commission, ap- 
pointed lo treat with the northwestern tribes. 
The advantageous treaties made in both these 
cases, afforded new instances of the unfailing 
success, that has always attended General Har- 
rison's negotiations with the Indians. 

In 1816, he was elected, by a large major- 
ity, a member of the House of Representatives 
in Congress, from Ohio. In this station he 



14 



BGrved, greatly to his own lionour, and to the 
satisfaction of his constituents, until 1S19; 
when, on the expiration of his term of service, 
he was chosen to the Senate of the Stale Le- 
gislature. 

In 1824, he was elected a Senator of the U- 
nited States from Ohio. While serving' in 
this high station, he commanded universal re- 
spect. His views as a statesman were liberal 
and extended, — his remarkable readiness in 
debate «oon rendered him a prominent mem- 
ber, — and the nervous and impassioned elo- 
quence, and clasjical felicity of illustration 
with which he enforced his arguments, gain- 
ed him much influence. 

In ISC3, he was appointed by I\rr. Adams 
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pieiiipo- 
tenliary to the Hepublic of Colombia. He ac- 
cepted this appointment, and repaired, without 
delay, to the scene of his duties, where he was 
received wiih every demonstration of respect. 
He found tb.i.s iuihap[)y country in a deplora- 
ble condiiion — the people ignorant of their 
right.«, and almost in a state of anarchy, and 
Bolivar apparently about (o assume the despot- 
ic power of a mdilary dictator. Shocked at 
this stale of things, with the frankness of an 
old soldier, he wrote his celebrated letter to 
Bcdivar, from which, as we have not space for 
tiie whole letter, we take liie liberty of quoting 
the following extracts : 

"I contend," said General Harrison, "that 
the strongest of all governments is that which 
is most free. We consider that of the United 
Stales as the strongest, precisely because it is 
l!ie most free. It possesses the faculties, e- 
qually to protect itself from foreign force, or 
internal convnUion. In both it has been suf- 
ficiently tried. In no country on earth would 
an !;rmo(l opposition to the laws be sooner or 
more etTcciualiy put down. Not so much from 
the terrors of the guillotine and the gibbet, as 
from the aroused determination of the nation, 
exhibiting their strength, and convincing the 
factious that their cause was hopeless." * * 



* # 



'In bestowing the palm of merit, the world 
lias become wiser than formerly. 'I'he suc- 
cessful warrior is no longer regarded as enti- 
tled to the first place in the temple of fame, 
'ralcnls of this kind have become too common, 
and too often used for mischievous purpose.*, 
to be regarded as they once were. In this cn- 
liglilened aire, the mere hero of the field, and 
the successful leader of armies, may, for the 
moment, attract attention. But it wdl be such 
as is bestowed on the passing meteor, whose 
hiazo iis no longer remembered, when it is no 
jtiiifTcr seen. To bu ealeemeJ eminenllv great, 
it is necesjj.irv to be rmincnlly good. The 
qualiiicd of the hero and the general must bv 



devoted to the advantage of mankind, beforf 
he will be permitted lo^assume the tide of their* 
benefactor; and the station which he will hold 
in their regard and afleclions will depend, not 
upon the number and splendour of his viclo-; 
ries, but upon the results and the use he may' 
make of the influence he acquires from them." 
'•if the fame of our Wasiiington depended 
upon his military achievem'ents, would the 
common consent of the world allow him the 
pre-eminence he possesses? The victories 
at Trenton, Monmouth, and York, brilliant asi 
they were, exhibiting as they certainly did the' 
highest grade of military talents, are scarcely 
thought of. The source of the veneration| 
and esteem which is entertained for his char- 
acter, by every description of politicians, the 
monarchist and aristocrat, as well as the re- 
publican, is to be found in his undeviating and 
exclusive devoledness to the interest of his 
country. No selfish consideration was ever 
suflered to intrude itself into his mind. P^or 
his country he conquered; and the unrivalled 
and increasing prosperity of that country is 
constantly adding fresh glory to his name." 

We regret that our limits will not permit us 
to insert liie whole of this vigorous and beau- 
tiful production. But the few passages we 
have quoted, contain a fair specimen of the no- 
ble sentiments which characterize this letter 
and give evidence of the pure republican prin- 
ciples, which have ever distinguished this em- 
minent statesman. 

General Harrison remained in Colombia but 
a short time, iiaving been recalled by the pres- 
ent administration, soon after it came into pow- 
er. 

Since his return from this mission, he has 
lived in comparative retirement, in Ohio, the 
state of his adoption. With the most enticing 
opportunities of accumulating wealili, during 
his long government of Indiana, and superiK- 
tendency of Indian afTiirs, he acquired none ; 
his honest and scrupulous integrity was proo/ 
against the golden temptations. His time aim 
best energies were devoted to the service of 
his country, and his own interests were ever, 
with him, a secondary consideration. He there- 
fore retired without the spoils of oflice, and 
with only a competency barely siiflicicnl for 
his sujiporl; but rich in a rejjulation nnihm- 
mcd by a single tarnish, and in the honour and 
respect of all his fellow citizens. 

General Harrison is now sixl^-five years of 
age ; (about six years younger than President 
Jackson ;) but such have been the activity and 
temperate habits of his past life, tliat he enjoys 
his moral and physical energies in remarka- 
ble vigour. In person he is tall and thin ; 
his features are irregular, Initliis eyes are dark, 
keen and penelraiing ; his forehead is oxpan- 



Id 



slve ; Lis moHlh peculuiily l/uliculive of firin-i tagcs of William Monry lIani?on ; such lias 
ness and genius ; and liis coiii*enance is high- been his course thus far ihrough life ; and such 



ly expressive of intelligence and benevolence. 



is now the bright promise, to a realization of 



His manners are plsin. (rank and unassuming, which we may fafely look forward, should the 



and his disposition is cheerful, kind and ge 
nerous, almost to a fault. In his private inter- 
course, he is beloved and esteemed by all who 
know liim. In the various civil and military 
ofTices he has held, he has always been mod- 
erate and forbearing, yet firm and true to his 
trust. No oilier commander has ever been 
more popular with our militia, and the true 
secret of this cannot be better explained than 



people see (it to place him in ollice. 

The friends of General Harrison found no 
claim on \\\s military services. His own sen- 
timents on this subject we have already quot- 
ed; and his friends would scorn, as much as 
ke would, any ailemj)t to dazzle a single one 
of his fellow citizens by the glory of his mili- 
tary renown, brilliant though it be. They 
would rather point to his numerous civil ser- 



by his own reply, when asked how he had I vices, in ihe forty years he has devoted to his 
gained this inlluence : "By treating them," country ; to the various and important oflkes 
said he, "with affection and kindness, by al- he has so ably filled — in the territorial gov- 
vays recollecting that they were my fellow ernments, in ihe Legislature of his own slate, 
citizens, whose feelings 1 was bound to res- land in the House of Representatives and Sen- 
pect ; and by sharing wilh tliem, on every oc- j ate of the United Steles ; and to the high order 
casion, the liardships which they were obliged of abilities displayed in his speeches in Con- 
to undergo." gi"css, in his public acts, and in his voluminous 
In the republican institutions of our country, I public correspondence. And we here take 
hirth and parentage are comparatively of very occasion to say, iliat all his letters and public 
little importance ; and no candidate for public pajiers have been exclusively written by him- 
favour can found ihereon the slightest claim to 'self-, and tlial so far from his having called iiu 
the respect or the support of his fellow cili- the mental aid of another, to prepare his mes- 
zens. iVe have happily shaken off the thrall- sages and despatches, as some of our ilisiin- 
ing prejudices of the old world, and a tiiie to guislied men have condescended to do, he has 
oflice and honoiabls distinction is not wilh us I never even employed an amanuensis, to per- 
liereditai) ; but every man must earn his own form the manual labor of his correspondence, 
good name, and his claim to the favour of the ^ His ruling principles through life, appear to 
people, by his own good deeds. Yet, aware, have been, an ardent lore for his country, and 
as every one must be, of the powerful influ-'an earnest desire to serve her best interests ; 
ence of early education, it is worthy of remaik, wiih a devotion to the pure republican max- 



as well as gratifying to know, that a candi- 
date for public oflice, in whom we feel an in 



ims ol the J-levohilion, always luiwavering 
and consistent ; unlike the scheming politi- 



teresl, passed all the early years of his life with cians of a • more modern school, whoso own 
the bnghiesi examples consiandy before iiim ] interest is the polar star that guides them, 
and under the parental tuition ©f one of those I whatever may betide their country, 
illustrious patriots, whose memory is revered With tried patriotism, wilh abilities of the 
by everj true-hearted American, ll is pleas- i highest order, with iiilfgrily pure ns ihe uusul- 
ing to know, that his first political .sentiments 'lied snow, and with ihe truest republican 
were imbibed in a school of the purest repub- j principle?, William Henry Harrison is novir 
lican principles. And when we trace up the i before his fellow citizens, as a candidate for 
career of this individual, from the spring-time the highest office in their gift. In the long 
of his youth, to the summer of his manhood : course of his public life, lie lias always been a 
and to the early autumn of his years, and see staunch advocate ofpopiilar ri^jhts, and is ihere- 
ihose principles closely adhered to throughout, j fore truly the candidate of iha pei.'ple. He 
we can scarcely resist the conviction, that his comes before them, not with a crowd of pam- 
fulure course will be consistent wilh the past ; I pered and slill-grasping ofikials to inlrigi;e 
and that, with matured abilitic?, he will be and bribe for him, but wiih ilie iioide frunk- 
etill more conspicuous for his republican prin- ness of an honorable and high-minded man, 
ciples, his moileration in oflice, his firm intrg- williiiir and de.«irous to be judged im|>ariia!ly 



ritv, and his extended and enlightened views 
as a statesman. Such were the caily advan- 



by his fellow citizens, and n-ady to abide by 
their honest decision. 



16 



^hC IjVS Cfibtn mtd I^urd CU< On the 7ih November, 1811, he gained thfi 



clcr Ctmdiilatc. 

Gen. Harrison, when parting froin a regiment oChis 



great victory of TIPPECANOE. 

On the mil September, 1812, he was ap- 




soldiers, just after the Indian war, said to them: 'Gen-' poi'i'ed by Ma(lisr)n. Commander-iii-Cliief of 
llemen, if you ever come to Vincennes, you will al 'be North Western Armr. 

Ways find a plaie and a knife and fork al my table,' On the 1st May, 1813, the siege of Fori 
and 1 assure you tiiat you w'xWnererfmd my door shut Meigs commenced — la.xted five days, and was 
und the string of the latch pulled in. ' ilerminated bv the brilliant and successful 5or-» 

r^^=--— -^^^'^^~ • ^^^BH^^^^^T" • iJ Zn ^''^ "f Gen. riarrisdii. 

On the 3 1st July, 18 13, the battle of Fori 
Sipphenson occurred. 

On the 5ih October, ! SI. S, be aained the 
■splendid victory of die THAMES,^ over the 
Briii-'h and Intliaus under Proctor. 

In 1814, be was appointed 1>y Madison one 
• f llic Commis.'iioiiers to treat with the In- 
ilians,iin(l in ilic same jear, vriili his colleagues 
CJov. Shelby and Gen. Gas.?, concluded the 
celebrated treaty of Greenville. 

In 1815, he was again appointed such Com* 
missioner, with Gen. Mc Arthur and Mr. Gra- 
ham, and nefj^otiated a treaty at Detroit. 

In 1816, he was elected a member of Con* 
iiress. 

In January, 18 IS, he introduced a resohilion 
in honor of Kosciusko, ;uid snjtported it in one 
of tlie most ieelinjj, classical and eloqnerrl 
speeches ever delivered in the House of He-' 
presentatives. 

In 1819, he was elected a member of ths 
Ohio Sen ale. 

In 1824, he was elected Senator in Cori- 
gress, and was" appointed in 1825, Chairmarj-. 
of the Military Committee, in place of Gen. 
Jackson, who had resigned. 

Ih 18-27, he was ajipoinlcd Minister to Co- 
lombia, and in 1829, wrote fiis immortal Iflier 
to Bolivar, the deliverer of South America. 

01 him Col. Johnson (Vice-President) thus 
spoke in the House of liejirescntatives whilst 
a member of that body : 

"'Ol the career of Gen. Harrijon F need not 
.><poak — the bislovy of the Wfst is bis history. 
For forty years lie has been ideiiiiiied with its 
interests, its perils and its hopes. lJnivcr^'«lly 
beloved in the walks of peace, and distinguish- 
ed by his alidiiy in the coimcils of bis country, 
he has been vet more illuslrit)u>ly dislinguisli- 
ed in the held. During the late war, he was 
lotiiier in actual service than any olh&r Gen- 
eral Oinrer ; be wai*, peihaj).s, oflener in ac- 
tion than any cnic of them, and never smlain- 
ed n dtfeat?'* 

Such is the man, who still enjoying bis im- 
tariiished fajne" and gbiry, and standing on a 
proud and lofty eminence, where neither mal- 



The above represents the veleian U.UililSuN, as 
he now lives,a Private Ct/jjeji, in the ai t of welcom- 
ing an old soldier into his Cabin, T\here he had some 
friends al dinner. He introduced liim thus— "Gen- 
tlemen, here is one of my old cumrades who lias done 
battle for his country, and lie will take a teal wilii us 
at table." The Soldier, tiius introduced, was receiv- 
ed with open arms and joyful hearts, by ilie company. 

AN ELOqUKNTlUKCORl}. 

William II. Hakkiso.v was born in Virgi- 
nia on tlie {(ill February,' f773. 

In 1791, when 19 ytars of age, he was ap- 
pointed by Washington an Ensign in our in- 
fant army. 

In 1792, be v.as |)rnn-if)led to the rank of 
Lieutenant ; and in 1 79.'j, joined the legion un- 
der Gen. Wayne, and in a few days thereafter, 
was selected by him as one ol bis Aids. 

On the 24ih of August, 1794, he distin- 
guished himself in the battle of the Miami, 
and elicited the most llullering written aj)pro- 
batioii of Gl'II. V\'ayne. 

In I79.'j, be was made a Captain, and was 
jilaced in command of Fort Wa.-binglon. 

In 1797, be was appointed, l>y Presiflenl 
Adams, Secretary of the North Western Ter- 
ritory and ex ojficio Lt. Governor. 

In 1798, he was chosen a ilelegate to Con- 
gress. 

In 1801, he was appointed Governor of In- 
iana, and in the same year, President Jell'er- 
)n appointed him sole Commissioner b)r treat- 



g with lliu Iniliuns. 
In 1809, he was le appointed Governor of ui!; iitn tELiVEREU I ! 
tdtana by Madison. 



ice or envy can assail him, Is i) )w summoned 
by bis gralf fill couniiymen to leave i!ie quiet 
walk* of private life to guide ilie councils of 
the n:iti()n, "and ddiver tlie country fnun the 
diingeis uhich encomjiass it." Ano he will 






i 



